Christ the Perfect Pattern of a Christians Practice, Sermon 1
Mary Wolnoth, Aug. 27. 1648.
1 John 2. 6.
He that ſaith he abideth in Chriſt, ought himſelf ſo to walk, as he walked.
THe Apoſtle having laid down the ſum foreignof the Doctrine of the Goſpel in the former Chapter, doth in this and the following Chapter, make the application of it.
There are four principal duties, to which he exhorts in this Chapter, viz.
1. To ſanctity and holineſs of walking, verſ. 1. ad finem verſ. 6.
2. To brotherly love, ad finem 14.
3. To the contempt of the World, verſ. 15. ad 18.
4. To ſhun ſeducers, and to be conſtant in the faith, v. 18. ad finem.
Each of theſe are urged by ſundry Arguments.
The Arguments exciting us to holineſs of life, are,
1. From the end of the Goſpel, v. 1. Theſe things write I unto you, that ye ſin not.
2. From the Mediation, and interceſſion of Chriſt, v. 1, 2.
3. 'Tis an Argument of the truth and ſincerity of our Faith, v. 3, 4.
To know Christ, is to believe in him.
4. 'Tis an Argument of the ſincerity of our love, v. 5.
5. 'Tis an Argument of our union with Chriſt, v. 5. latter part, which is amplified, v. 6.
So the Text is the amplification of one Argument, preſſing holneſs of life, in which we may obſerve two things.
1. A high Dignity.
2. A ſpecial duty.
To abide in Chriſt, is the ſame with that in v. 5. To be in Chriſt to have fellowſhip with Chriſt, Chap. 1. v. 6.
foreign, ſaith the Scholiaſt.
The Phraſe is further opened, and illuſtrated, Iohn 1. v. 4, 5, 6.
Explication.
That great myſtery of our union with Ieſus Chriſt, it is comprehended in this Phraſe.
There is an external abiding in Chriſt, by outward profeſſion; & an internal, by ſpiritual union.
To walk as he walked, is,
foreign, To tread in his ſteps, to follow his Example, to imitate him in his holy actions and vertues.
From the whole Text ariſeth this Leſſon.
That 'tis the duty, and ſhould be the care Doct.of every one, who pretends an intereſt in Jeſus Christ, to imitate the holy life and converſation of Chriſt. 'Tis laid down peremptorily and poſitively, not as an Arbitrary thing, but an act of debt; he ought. This is that which this Apoſtle enjoynes in other places alſo, vid. Rom. 13. ult. foreign. This is the true putting on of Christ, which we do not only foreign, but in our Converſations, put on his example.
Math. 11. 29. Col. 2. 6. To walk in Chriſt, ſignifies two things; To live the life of Chriſt, to perſevere in him, Phil. 2. 5.
There are three things to be done in the explication of this Doctrine.
1. What it is to imitate.
2. Wherein we muſt imitate Chriſt.
3. Why we ſhould do ſo.
1. There are three things which muſt concurre to imitation, viz.
1. There muſt be a performance of the ſame actions which are done by him, whom we imitate. Identity of practiſe.
2. A performing of thoſe actions, out of a deſire to imitate; elſe, though there be the ſame actions, yet that is no imitation. Children do the ſame actions which their Parents do, viz. eat, drink, walk, &c. yet they are not ſaid to imitate their Parents in them, becauſe they do them naturally, not out of any deſire of imitation.
3. An endeavour to come as exactly as we can to the Copy: So now to imitate Chriſt, is,
1. To do the like actions which Chriſt did.
2. To do them out of a deſire to be like him.
3. To do them with all the care and exactneſs we can, that if it were poſſible, we would out-ſtrip his example. A Chriſtian ſhould be, Alter Chriſtus.
2. Wherein we muſt imitate Chriſt. This is not unneceſſary, becauſe there are ſome actions of Chriſt, which are not imitable. There are three kind of actions which Chriſt did.
1. Some things he did, quà Deus, his works of Divinity and Omnipotency: As his miraculous works of forgiving ſins, raiſing the dead, caſting out Devils, and curing Diſeaſes by his word, walking upon the Sea, &c. 'Tis the pride of the Papiſts, to imitate Chriſt in theſe things, as their Quadrageſimal Faſts, &c. Theſe are for our admiration, not for our imitation.
2. Some things he did, quà Mediator, his works of office. As his Dying to reconcile God and man, offering up himſelf a Sacrifice for ſin. This is not for our imitation, only the mo…al of theſe is for us, That as Chriſt did, carefully, the works of his Calling, ſo ſhould we of our particular Calling.
3. Some things he did as he was made man, under the Law. And tehſe were of two ſorts: Some in obedience to the Ceremonial Law, as he was the Son of Abraham, according to the fleſh. As his ſubmitting to Circumciſion, keeping the Jewiſh Feaſts of Tabernacles, Pentecost, &c. theſe we are not bound unto: Others, in obedience to the moral Law, thoſe moral actions of Chriſt, the works of piety, of charity, which he did: his vertues as they are called, 1 Pet. 2. 9. his humility, meekneſs, &c. And therefore 'tis obſerved in Matth. 11. 29. Learn of me, ſaith Chriſt: what? not to caſt out Devils, raiſe the dead, &c. but learn meekneſs, lowlineſs, &c.
Theſe are the things which we are tyed toimitate Chriſt in: The Reaſons why; theſe are,
1. Thoſe Relations between Chriſt and a Chriſtian, call for it, viz.
1. Maſter and Servant, this is a Relation of Imitation, Matth. 10. 24, 25. 'tis there ſpoken, in regard of ſuffering: 'tis as forcible, in regard of doing. Our Saviour urgeth us in a particular caſe, upon this very ground, Ioh. 13. 13, 14. Other Maſters cannot require imitation from their Servants in every thing, becauſe they miſlead, but Chriſt may.
2. That of Captain and Souldiers, that's a Relation of Imitation. Abimelech to his Souldiers, Iudg. 9. 49. Christ is our General and Captain, Heb. 2. 10. Ioſh. 5. 14.
3. That of Father and Children, Children ſhould imitate their Parents, not in every thing, many Parents would lead their Children to Hell, ſhould they follow them. The Apoſtle argues upon this ground this duty, Eph. 5. 1.
2. 'Tis one end of Chriſts Incarnation. There are in reference to man, two principal ends of Chriſts Incarnation; (for in reference to God, his main end was, Eph. 1. 6.) One was to reconcile God and man, by his obedience and ſuffering, and ſo to bring in everlaſting righteouſnes. The other was, that he might ſet us an example for our Imitation, 1 Pet. 2. 21. that there might be found a perfect Pattern of grace and holineſs in our natures. Now unleſs we imitate his example, we ſhall, as much as lyeth in us, fruſtrate one end of his incarnation.
3. 'Tis the higheſt pitch of ſpiritual perfection. 'Tis the duty of every Chriſtian, to grow up to as great a height as he can in grace and holineſs. Chriſtians are as Trees, which from a ſmall graff, grow up to a great ſtature, vid. Mat. 5. ult. 'Tis a foreign of ſimi…itude, not of equality. Now the very top of this perfection, ſtands in this, that we be like Chriſt.
There is a threefold likeneſs of Chriſt.
A likeneſs of nature, ſo we are all like him.
A likeneſs of glory, that is reſerved for Heaven, of which the Apoſtle, 1 Ioh. 3. 2.
A likeneſs of Grace, which conſiſts in the renewing of the mind, and in walking after this holy Pattern. This is the very Apex of that poor imperfect perfection which we can reach to here. Greg. Nyſſen defines Chriſtianity to be Imitationem Divinae Naturae. Qui plus habet Chriſti, plus habet Chriſtianitatis, ſo doth the Apoſtle alſo, Phil. 3. 10.
4. There is no other perfect Pattern to walk by, while we are in this World. All men, either give us a bad example, or elſe an imperfect example. There are two things which make a perfect pattern,
Firſt, That it have exactneſs of every thing, which ſhould be required.
Secondly, That it have no blemiſh, or redundancy of any thing which ſhould not be. Now there is no ſuch Pattern, beſides Chriſts example. The Scripture indeed calls upon us, to follow the example of the Saints, the Apoſtle propounds his own example, Phil. 3. 17. but there are theſe limitations:
1. We muſt not imitate them in all things, becauſe they had graces in imperfection, and becauſe they had obliquities and deformities, as well as graces. That which is ſaid of Books, is as true as men in every thing elſe. Etiam in optimis Authoribus quaedam vitia. Moſes was not without his murmuring. David had his Adultery, Peter his denyal. Theſe are recorded to be as Shelfs of caution, not Copies of Imitation; we muſt follow theſe only in their reflections, and ſparks of piety.
2. We muſt not follow the example of any one of them alone, becauſe there was in no one of them a compleat Pattern of all grace. God ſcattered his graces among the Saints; one was more eminent in one grace, a ſecond in another, &c. Moſes for meekneſs, Job for patience, Paul for contentment, &c. This God did to preſerve the Communion of Saints, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in another caſe, 1 Cor. 12. 8. but now we may follow Chriſts example, without any of theſe limitations, for there is in him,
1. A full concurrence of all graces compleatly, Cont. 5. 10, 11. ad finem. Col. 1. 19.
2. There is no obliquity in him. No ſpot, Cant. 5. 16. The Saints are like the Moon, the beſt of them have a dark ſide as well as a bright, who is ſhe that looketh as the Moon? Cant. 6. 10. Chriſt is as the Sun, which is all light, without the leaſt ſpot.
5. The Saints are the Image of Chriſt, therefore they ought to walk as he walked. As the ſhadow followeth the ſubſtance, Chriſtians are (as it were) the ſhadow of Chriſt. And the goodneſs of all the actions and works which we perform, doth not ſtand in the ſubſtance of the work, but in relation and conformity to the Rule and Example, by which they are done.
Information 1. That 'tis the duty of every 1. Uſe.Chriſtian, to know, and to be acquainted with the life of Chriſt: he that is ignorant of what Chriſt did, cannot poſſibly walk as he walked. What a ſad condition are they in, who having but one Copy to write after, are altogether without the knowledge thereof.
2. What a great bleſſing it is, that God hath given unto us the Goſpel, and with what care and diligence, ſhould we bend our ſelves to the ſtudy of it; for Chriſts Example is to be found only there. In the volume of the Book it is written of me, There are but three places where Chriſt is,
In Heaven corporally;
In the hearts of his people, by his Spirit;
In the Goſpel, by his Example.
The Goſpel is the Table, wherein the lively picture of Chriſt is, it reads us a Lecture of the life and death of Chriſt. Here are veſtigia Chriſti, you may ſee the prints of his feet here, here is the golden Sampler, its a rich Treaſure the Goſpel, vid. Col. 3. 16. not to ſojourn with us, but to dwell, &c. What ſtrange Families that want Bibles, or having them read them not: what ſtrange work would Children make, had they no Sampler?
3. This is juſtification for a ſtrict and circumſpect life. Many are ready to quarrel with the Servants of God for their preciſeneſs, becauſe they will not run into the ſame exceſs of riot, 1 Pet. 4. 4. Profaneneſs is not ſo much quarrel'd as Piety. Gods Servants dare not ſwear, dare not omit prayer, &c. wicked men reproach them for it; but God commands it, Eph. 5. 15. and Chriſts example calls for it. Chriſt never ſware, never ſpake idle word, &c. He that reproaches them for their holineſs, reproacheth Chriſt. As the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, Jam. 4. 11. ſo 'tis in this; he ſpeaks evill of Chriſt, and judgeth Chriſt.
4. It ſhewes us, that many who live in the viſible Church, are far from true Chriſtianity, becauſe they have ſo little of Chriſt upon them, Swearers, Blaſphemers, &c. yea, formall Profeſſors, &c. Our Saviour argues well with ſuch men, ſhewes them their Pedigree by their works, Joh. 6. 39. They claim Abraham for their Father, becauſe of their outward priviledges, Circumciſion, &c. yea, v. 41. They claim God to be their Father: our Saviour, v. 44. tells them whoſe they are, or if Christs Example muſt be the Standard of true Chriſtianity; we may complain, Quam pauci, &c. Many hate his Example, many only talk of it, many follow it in one kind only, few take up his whole Example, &c.
Exhortation. That we would be more careful Uſe 2.for time to come, to do our duty. A Chriſtian ſhould be alter Christus. When you miſcarry, or are tempted to it, ſay then, Did Chriſt thus? I might uſe many more, viz.
1. 'Tis the will of God.
2. 'Tis the end of your Calling.
3. It will credit Religion.
4. It will vex the ſpirit of Satan.
As ſin grieves Gods Spirit, ſo holineſs grieves Satan.
5. Chriſt will direct you, if you deſire to walk as he did, he will ſhew his actions to him that would be like him.
6. Chriſt will protect you, when you act by his example.
7. Chriſt will give you comfort in ſuch Actions, Matth. 11. 29. you ſhall find rest.
8. Chriſt will be ſure to walk with you, if you take up his Copy.
9. Elſe you ſhall have no benefit by his ſufferings: none have benefit by his Ranſom, but ſuch as imitate his Example, 1 Pet. 2. 21. A ſerious motive.
This ſhall ſuffice for the urging of this Doctrine in general.
I ſhall further preſs this neceſſary Subject, by giving you a more large Table of Chriſts Actions ſeverally, which I ſhall gather out of the Goſpel, from other Texts, and then I ſhall urge them upon your practiſe, ſeverally by this Text.
And I ſhall begin with that grace, which was very eminent in Chriſt, viz. the grace of humility, and lowlineſs of mind, out of that Text, Matth. 11. 29.
And I ſhall urge it upon you in the words of this Text. He that ſaith he abides in Chriſt, ought ſo to walk as he walked.
So much for this Text, which is only a Preamble, or Preface to thoſe which follow.